Rubio: Palestinian state recognitions derailed hostage talks

(JNS) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday emphasized that there is no Palestinian state, despite recognition by several Western countries this week, and said the diplomatic initiative led by France and Saudi Arabia had actually derailed efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war.

“There is no Palestinian state, no matter how many papers they put out, and the only time there’ll ever be one is if there is a negotiation with Israel — which right now is impossible because they have a war going on with Hamas,” Rubio told CBS News in an interview.

He noted that Hamas “butchered” some 1,200 Isr...